Jodi Diodati Administrative Officer | DeKalb County Republican Party
Jodi Diodati Administrative Officer | DeKalb County Republican Party
Spring breakers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, engaged in unauthorized boxing matches over the weekend, with reports of cryptocurrency bets being placed on the outcomes. The events were captured by a bystander who shared his observations with NBC Miami.
Joshua Pettus, who witnessed the scene, recounted seeing students gathering around a circle on the beach. He noted that some individuals were placing bets using cryptocurrency. "Why aren’t they playing football? Something that is not going to get people injured," Pettus questioned. He further described how he started recording when participants began donning boxing gloves and preparing for a fight. "Boxing gloves came out, the ring got bigger, and I knew the fight was going to start," he said.
The impromptu matches included both men and women, with female participants wearing bikinis as they sparred to cheers from spectators.
Local authorities intervened in these activities. According to a statement from the city of Fort Lauderdale: "Fort Lauderdale Police witnessed and broke up two incidents on the beach and the crowd complied both times without further issues. There have been no reported confirmed cases of betting. This type of behavior will not be tolerated."